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Awakening the Olympian within

On a
February afternoon in 1964, I was in geography class with an atlas open to the
map of Austria. The Olympics were in Innsbruck, and I was calculating the
opportune time to excuse myself to go to the janitor’s office. >>

He had a
black and white portable television permanently set on channel 11 for Wide
World ofSports. I arrived just in time for the men’s downhill ski event.
Egon Zimmermann, the young Austrian skier, took off from the gate. He resembled
a low-flying rocket as he won gold.

I felt my
inner athlete emerge through the excitement of that historic run. I felt the
need to get stronger, get faster, and get myself to a gym. As I cried tears of
pride,

I
witnessed something special.

I felt
the same feelings of pride through each subsequent Olympiad, culminating with
the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. The floor in front of my television became
stained with all the tears of pride and joy I squirted.

OLYMPIC
iNSPiRATION

I noticed
that I worked out harder during the Olympics.

Either I
was trying to work off the stress of all those emotional outbursts or I was
motivated to be better by all the athletic excellence I witnessed. I also noticed
that more participants showed up for my exercise classes. After classes, they
hung around the community centres to watch the events on television.

“It’s
good to watch the Olympics with people,” one participant said while changing
her shoes in the television room. “It makes it seem like you’re there. I cry

too much
when I watch alone.”

I think
the upcoming Olympics in Sochi will be no exception. All autumn I witnessed
record numbers coming to my fitness classes. The scuttlebutt is that they’re
preparing for the ski season. I actually believe they’re getting ready to
attempt to mimic some of the feats they’ll witness on television this February.
In other

words,
they’re secretly awakening their inner Olympian.

NOT JUST
COUCH POTATOeS

Research
supports this theory. A 2012 study determined that frequent sports spectators
are more likely to exhibit personality traits such as extroversion and
excitement seeking. In their spare time, they also participate in complementary
activities such as playing sports and video games, and exercising. Watching sports
makes the viewer want to participate.

If you’re
a weekend athlete inspired by the Olympics to spend a little more time on the
slopes, try out the half-pipe, or hurtle yourself oŦ the end of a 90-metre ski
jump, here are a few exercises to add to your fitness routine. Even if you don’t
make the team, they might keep you from getting hurt too badly.

“Train,
don’t strain” is my motto for training athletes for any event. Many Winter
Olympic sports involve all the muscles of the legs and the core, as well as our
general balance. Try to incorporate these in your regular workouts.

Remember,
if a muscle hurts after using it, it’s one that should have been trained
beforehand

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

You might think that the Olympics are
just for younger competitors.

Think again. Clara Hughes is one of only
a handful of athletes to have podium finishes in both the Winter Olympics (long
track speed skating) and summer Olympics (cycling). By age 39, she brought home
enough metal to open a foundry.

Other older Canadian Olympians include

> recently retired triathlete simon
Whitfield, age 38

> sailors Tyler Bjorn, age 43, and Richard
Clarke, age 45

> equestrian show jumper ian Millar, age
66

internationally, there have been several
older athletes:

> 64-year-old shooter Oscar swahn of
sweden won a gold medal at the 1912 summer Olympics, and he competed in the
1920 summer Olympics when he was 72.

You’ll be
ready for those cross-country ski trails and to perfect those flips on the
half-pipe.

Technique:

> Use a
large exercise ball.

> Lie on
your back on the floor with your heels resting on the ball.

> Press
your heels down so your butt lifts off the floor.

> Feel your
hamstrings tightening as you do so.

> Do 3 sets
of 10.

> Then
perform 2 sets with only one heel on the ball, then change legs for 2 sets.

> Stretch
the hamstrings separately by lying on your back and holding onto your shin
while drawing the leg up to your chest.

Calf Raises

Muscles worked:

The
gastrocnemius and soleus, two important calf muscles

Sport benefits:

You’ll be
primed for a little speed skating and holding that delta position on the ski
jump.

Technique:

> Stand on
a step to exercise your calves.

> Hang your
heels over the edge of the step, then lift them up for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

> Split the
sets up; do some with knees straight and some with knees bent at 90 degrees.

> Stretch
these muscles by flexing your foot hard (works the soleus).

The Core

The Swiss Chop

Muscles worked:

important
core muscles in the back and abdomen

Sport benefits:

Soon you’ll
have the core strength to steer down the skeleton run.

Technique:

> Lie on
your back with the ball between your shoulder blades, feet flat on the floor,
hands clasped together directly above your chest with elbows straight.

> Push your
hands to the right side, hold for 3 seconds.

> Then push
your hands to the left side and hold for 3 seconds.

> Hold a
free weight to add resistance.

> Do 3 sets
of 10 movements on each side.

BALANCE

Athletes
have terrific balance. They train for better balance by challenging themselves
to stand on different surfaces and make their bodies respond to changes in their
centre of gravity. Superior balance means superior agility—and that benefits
all sports!

Technique:

> Challenge
yourself with a BOSU ball (an acronym for both sides up).

> Turn the
apparatus so the dome side is down.

> Stand on
the flat surface and feel your body respond.

> When you
find your balance point, throw it off centre by doing a set of squats.

> Your
balance will improve with time and practice, and you’ll look sharp on the
half-pipe.